Darker Than Light
by bleed.out.my.heart
Summary: Those Words...Once they are said, they are permanently stuck to whatever objects are around to hear them. Your witnesses. Your watchers. Your heart. Those three words...we lost her...and your whole world is obliterated. Just like mine. Spashley AU
1. Prologue: Crash and Burn

_**A/N:**__** Hey guys! I'm re-posting this story, because I re-did a lot of it, and I finally finished it. It is in fact a four-part story (well, five if you include the prologue here). I hope you guys enjoy it! I'll post one chapter a day! Thanks! Mucho love, K.**_

* * *

_**Prologue: Crash And Burn**_

Have you ever said words that, the minute they fell out of your mouth, you wish you could take them back?

This is one of those times where the minute those words come out, there are no take-backs. No do-overs, none of it. It's not a kids game anymore, when you realize that the words you are about to speak are going to hurt someone.

Or maybe even everyone.

Its an inevitable domino effect that's caused by three little words. Just three. No more, no less. Those three damned words can shake the earth beneath you, shatter the sky above, and even make your heart implode. There is no cure.

Once they are said, they are permanently stuck to whatever objects are around to hear them. Your witnesses. Your watchers. Your heart.

Those three words…

_We lost her…_

And your whole world is obliterated.

Just like mine.


	2. Part One: Peaceful and Pale

_**A/N:**__** Okay, so I read everyone's reviews, and I decided to spruce this up a bit. I really appreciate the constructive criticism, and I hope the new and improved story makes more sense and doesn't go quite as fast as it originally did. If you have any more complaints that I can fix, PLEASE let me know! I write this stuff for you guys! Thanks to all who reviewed! **_

_**((And I've added one more part so I could fit in some time between Spencer and Ashley's relationship. So this is now a five-parter!))  
**_

* * *

_**Part One: Peaceful and Pale**_

She looked so peaceful, just laying there. I reached over and stroked her cheek. Her eyes stayed shut, her chest lay still. I couldn't bear to stand here and look, but I couldn't walk away to stop, either. It was contradicting, and furiously frustrating. I stared at her face. It was chalk-white, covered in her favorite make-up. I had gone to the funeral home to make sure they had done it right.

Everything had to be right.

Everything.

I wasn't in the right mind to fix anything at this point, so I just silently prayed that everything would work out. I look over to the mourners, and see her kids, tears streaming down their young faces. I tore my gaze away from them and looked back at her. They would be starting the ceremony soon, and I would have to walk away so they could shut her out from the world forever, assuring us that she really wasn't coming back to us.

Affirming our fears, and shattering any happiness that may have been living in our brains. Because this was a funeral, and someone was leaving forever.

But why did it have to be her?

She was the sweetest person anyone could ever meet. Why? Why did he have to pick her? Why was she the one that had to die at some psychopath's hands? Why couldn't I have seen this coming? Because, no one did. But that doesn't console my tangled thoughts. If anything, it makes them so much worse, because someone should've seen this. Someone. Anyone. If we would have been with her that night, she'd still be here. We'd be laughing and joking about something stupid, her light smile making her eyes shimmer with life.

Now she lay there, heart still. They covered the wound expertly, you can't even tell it was there. I was relieved in that matter. Her children and her husband did not need to see the truth. The kids only knew that their mom was gone, and He only knew that she had been taken against the will of Mother Nature. Before her time, as the priest so kindly puts it. I had asked Him if the priest's job could stop at the church. He asked me why. I told him it was because he wouldn't say the right things.

He hadn't known her.

I did. I knew her better than anybody else. I told him that I wanted to speak my eulogy at the gravesite. He looked past me for a moment, then focused back on my face, smiling sadly. He told me that would be perfect. I gave him a bear hug, using whatever strength I had had left after this horrible ordeal. He hugged me back, let go, and walked back over to the kids, ushering them toward the car.

Everybody began to walk out of the church after us, piling themselves into their cars. There were quite a few people there, but I would bet my life that not even 1/8th of them actually knew who she was. How special she was. Out of everything that's happened in the last few days, that hurts the worst. Referring to her in the past tense. It's so hard to do. I've caught myself talking about her as if she were still here, beside me.

And the kids…

Her kids were going to grow up without their mom because some bastard lost his mind and took it out on her. I swore, before this whole funeral, that I would find who did this to her. I hired a detective to find the guy as carefully as he could. He's been working with the police on her case, and I couldn't be more thankful. At least something was getting done. I turn over the engine, and begin to follow Their van to the graveyard. I couldn't think of anything else but the look on her face when I walked into the room after the attack. That image will haunt me until the day I die, no matter what I do to try and avenge it.

This saddened me to no end.

But I focused on getting to the site without crashing into Their van. As we pulled up, I saw the coffin bearers open the back of hearse and pull out her casket. They carried it, Him in the front and our closest friends handling the rest. This brought tears to my face. It was beautifully sad. Beautiful because these were the real mourners. The ones who had known her, and truly realized what the world had lost. And that was beautiful, that she could be remembered that way. It was also sad because this would be the last goodbyes. Her bright eyes would never view the world again, because she would be six feet under it, in a wooden box.

My emotions were mixed as they placed her on the lowering brace, steadying her over the hole that she would soon be in. He walked up to the coffin, kissing the end where her head was laying, whispering words that no one could hear, but everyone would guess. His final goodbye. He knew it was time, and so should I. So why did I feel so numb? Was I forcing myself to not feel? I had not time to ponder my own misery as He turned to face everyone, tears still streaming down his disheveled face. He had finally fallen apart. I had been wondering how long it would take it to hit him.

My small breakdown happened as I held her while she bled to death in my arms. After that moment, I promised I would stay strong for everyone else. Even though all the stars in my sky disappeared when her eyes stopped shining. I could feel the intense pain building up inside of my chest, waiting to explode at any given moment. Than He began speaking.

"I'm not good at things like this, in any way. I'm going to be simple. Easy. Just like how she would've wanted it to be."

He looked over at the kids, Charlotte and Lukas, and then over at me. A slow smile spread across his face as he remembered her. I could tell he was remembering, because that was the same face he had been making when he thought no one was watching. He would remember. And he would smile. Seeing him like that made that little sliver of happiness grow, just a tiny bit. Then my world would crash back down as the realization that she was no more came into focus.

"She was beautiful. And happy. At least, I hoped she was. She loved our kids more than anything in the world. She loved her sister just as much," he glanced my way, but kept talking. "as the kids, maybe even more. They were so close, it was hard to tear them apart. And I am glad, that to this day, her sister is still standing strong. If not for me, than for her. And I couldn't ask for anything more out of her, _my_ sister."

Tears spilled over my eyes and traveled down to my neck. A shadow of a smile crept upon my face as I heard Him call me his sister. That made me so happy, that he thought of me as his real sister. I could say that I felt the same way about him. He had been my true brother from the moment he married her. He made her so happy. It made me so happy.

"All I have left to say, is, that for those of you who were blessed enough to have met or known my wife, let it be known that she was forever special. To each of us. May her memory live on forever in our hearts, and in our heads. Thank you."

He didn't walk back to the kids, as I thought he would, but he veered in my direction, scooping me up into a bone crushing embrace. I returned it with just as much force.

"I love you."

I whispered so faintly. I felt his hot tears hit my neck as he squeezed me tighter. Then he loosened his grip, whispering in my ear, "I love you too."

I let him go, and walked up to her casket, trailing my fingers across the surface. I kissed the same spot He had. I was saying my final goodbye. Final. It was so intimidating. I didn't want to say the wrong thing, or leave something out. I needed her to know everything. I couldn't mess up, not now. Not when I wasn't strong enough to put the pieces back if, god forbid, any of them fell out of my frame. It wasn't the time for that. Nor the place. It was the time to honor her.

I glanced up for a moment, seeing a familiar head of blonde hair, but I didn't think much on it. I hadn't seen her in years and I wasn't sure whether Kyla had still kept in touch with her. Apparently she did. I shook it off, focusing on my words. This had to be just right.

"She was the most wonderful person I have ever known, and I loved her more than anything in this world. She was the first and only one of my family to care for me. To love me, even. I want so much right now to be able to say these things to her smiling, bright face. But that won't ever happen. Not ever. This is the reason why I say them now."

I turned and faced her coffin, placing my hands on the edges and laying my face to where I guessed hers was laying peacefully underneath the wood. Tears began streaming down my face once more. The monster in my chest was bursting out of its cage, and I was feeling the effects immediately. Well, if I were going to have a breakdown, this would be the right time. So, with my face soaked in my sadness, I began to talk to her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of the times I was horrible to you. I'm sorry for all of the times we fought, and all of the times I was too stubborn to give in when I knew you were right all along. I'm sorry that I never saw this coming. I'm so sorry that I couldn't save your life. But I am so very, very sorry that I left you alone that day."

I could hear Charlie and Luke behind me, crying. It fueled me to keep going, because I needed her to know before she left us forever. Before she left _me_ forever.

"I'm so happy that I had you in my life, for however short a time it was. You made it so much better to live. It's the truth, because without you, I had no one to live for. Now you're gone. I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it. I promised that I would live on even if you didn't, and I promised to take care of Them if you ever left before you had to. I will keep that promise until the day I die. Until the day we are re united wherever we happen to end up.

"I also promise you one more thing," I stood up, and whispered the last part into the air. "I will find out who did this to you. I will, and I'll make sure they get what they deserve."

I turned to face everyone.

"She was special, as my brother-in-law, I mean my _brother_, said. She was loved. She will always be loved, even in death. Goodbye, little sister. I'll love you forever and always."

I kissed her coffin once more, and stepped down, placing myself next to my brother and the kids. Charlie and Luke immediately grasped both of my hands. I rested my head on His shoulder as everyone else began to leave. We watched as they lowered her into the cold ground, catching our last glimpses of her casket. We walked over to the edge, throwing in our roses. I crouched on the ground with the kids, kissing each of them on their heads, then pulling them back up. He took their hands and turned to leave.

"Lets go home."

He whispered from behind me. I nodded once, holding up my hand, silently telling him that I needed just one more moment. He whispered "okay". I heard their footsteps crunch on the gravel drive as they got back into the van. I kneeled at the edge of the hole, my tears hitting the top of the coffin. I couldn't stand it. This was it. I would never see her again. This was the end of the line for her, and I was sitting here on the grass watching as they tossed dirt on top of her. I wiped my eyes, and got up slowly, letting my gaze rest upon the casket one minute more.

I watched as the blonde girl walked away from my sister's coffin and toward me. She didn't stop, and she didn't look me in the eye as she said, "I'm so sorry." Her hand brushed my shoulder as she continued walking away from me. I had a feeling in my gut that I would see her again soon.

So, I walked away. Away from my dead sister. Toward my new family. We would never get over her, but If we tried hard enough, we could move on. As I got closer to my car, I whispered one last thing to her.

"Goodnight, Kyla."

And I prepared myself for a new life.

Without her.


	3. Part Two: Eyes Shut Tightly

_**Part Two: Eyes Shut Tightly **_

_**Four Days Before the Funeral...**_

"_Kyla!"_

_I ran over to her bleeding form and pulled her into my lap. I couldn't believe my eyes. This couldn't be her blood. No. All of this red liquid couldn't possibly belong to my sister. But as I lifted her up to my body, I saw the wound that was causing her life to drain. _

_There was a stab wound in her stomach that went through to her back. I had no time to panic as I looked for something to staunch the bleeding. To my dismay I found nothing that would help. I ripped off my own t-shirt and balled it up, pressing it tightly to her wound. I shook her a little to keep her awake. She couldn't leave me, not now. I finally found her! This isn't fair! She couldn't keep her head up or her eyes open, so I made her talk to me. It worked for the first few minutes, until I noticed her head lolled to one side, her breathing beginning to slow._

_I fished my cell phone out of my back pocket. I tried to dial 911, but my hands kept slipping over the buttons. I inspected my fingers, finding them covered in blood. I quickly wiped them on my pants, then proceeded to dial Emergency. As the woman came onto the phone, the panic finally set in, and I began screaming at her. She told me to tell her where I was, so I gave her the address and told them to get here as fast as they could. _

_The EMT's were there in ten minutes. But it was too late. They walked into the living room to find me crying hysterically over my sister's dead body. I clutched her to me, and screamed over and over "You can't leave me!" until the EMT's had to pry me away to check her vitals. It was pointless. I already knew she was gone. I fell onto my knees, my hand flying up to my mouth as one of the EMT's found a pulse in her wrist. "It's faint," he said. "but it's there." _

_My eyes went wide. They lifted her onto a gurney and hoisted her into the back of the ambulance. I pushed myself inside, grabbing her hand and shaking her arm. I kept saying her name as they worked on her. Covering her wound, and cleaning the dried blood from her torso. One of the EMT's looked at me and asked if I was okay. I told him that I would be fine If they could just save her life. _

"_What happened?"_

_One of them asked. How was I supposed to answer that? I walked in and she was bleeding to death. That's all I knew. That, and it was no accident. Something like that you just don't see done by accident. She had had a meeting with someone today, but for the life of me I couldn't remember who it was. I kept telling myself that if I could figure out who that was, I could find out what really happened._

_We pulled up to the hospital, and I got out of the way as they carted her off into the OR. They had to check and see if any vital organs had been punctured. I ran with her gurney until they approached an area that I wasn't allowed to go into. I left my arm out, reaching for her as I watched them fly frantically over her still form, trying to keep whatever life that was left, inside of her. As the doors swung shut, I couldn't stop staring after her. A few minutes later, I realized I still hadn't called her husband._

_I pulled my phone out of my back pocket once more. I flipped it open, seeing the smears of her blood across the number pad. I quickly dialed the number to his cell phone. I think he was still at home. As it rang, I contemplated what exactly I was going to say to him. He picked up on the fourth ring. _

"_Hello, this is Aiden Dennison."_

"_Aid?"_

"_Ash?"_

"_Yeah, its me. Listen…there's been an accident and you need to come to the hospital right away."_

"_Are you okay? Is Kyla…oh my god, is there something wrong with Kyla?"_

"_Just get down here as soon as you can. Don't bring the kids, okay?"_

_I heard the dial tone as he, undoubtedly, ran out of his office. He needed to get here. He needed to be here, right now. He needed to hurry up. I hung up my phone. I stared at it for a moment, and a surprising emotion filled me. I was angry. I took my phone and threw it against the plain off-white wall of the waiting room. The people sitting around me just stared as hot tears ran down my face, and I collapsed onto the floor. Suddenly I felt large, hot hands grasp my shoulders, pulling me out of my misery._

_Aiden lifted me up until I was fully standing. Then he crushed me to his body. I cried harder. This was the worst thing I've ever felt in my life. Aiden rocked me back and forth in an attempt to stop my crying, to get me to calm down. It was in this position we were in that the OR doctor walked up to us, still in his scrubs. Aiden turned us to face him._

"_We lost her…"_

_A deep whimper escaped my lips as I collapsed onto the ground once again, Aiden falling to his knees next to me, scooping me up once more. He was crying now, almost as hard as I was. I couldn't understand. She was gone? No. I just saw her, and she was alive. She was alive! They killed her! I yelled. But even as I screamed the words, I knew they weren't true. I had lost her at the house. It wasn't their fault. They tried to save her. They tried. They failed. _

_This was truly the worst day of my life. The worst feeling I've ever felt. I lost my only family. My best friend. My sister. There's no way to fix something like that. A feeling of sadness and grief washed over me as I realized that I wasn't the only one who lost her. My brother-in-law was sitting on the floor next to me, letting his breakdown grip him tightly. He had lost his wife. His best friend. The mother to his children. He was in the same world as me right now. _

_I just watched him cry for a moment before my tears took over my vision once more. Charlotte and Lukas…those poor kids have no idea what's just happened. This…this…I can't even think the word. I just know that she's gone. I wiped my face, and walked over to Aiden, with a new resolve. I had to be strong for him, and Charlie and Luke. I had to be. Things needed to be done, words needed to be said, papers needed to be signed. And I would do all of it._

_**Two Weeks After the Funeral…**_

And now here I sit in my sister and brother's house with my nephew and niece. I was looking over the transcripts from the funeral home. It had cost a lot of money for the funeral service, but thanks to our dad, we pulled it off without worry. There was still plenty of money left for house and car payments. Not to mention the water bill and such. Ky and Aiden used to take 100 out of their income and split it into the kids' college funds. I planned to carry on with that.

That's what she would've wanted.

Suddenly the silence was pierced by a bell. The phone was ringing. I scrambled out of my chair in search of the offending object. I found it buried under old newspapers. I was definitely going to have to clean this place, but not before I asked my brother if I could. I pressed the button on the phone.

I didn't look at the caller ID as I answered the call.

"Dennison residence."

"Detective Davies?"

"Yes, this is Detective Ashley Davies. Who am I talking to?"

"This is Detective Dustin Korey."

"Oh, hey Dusty. Call me Ashley, please. Any news for me?"

I've known Dusty Korey for years. We were partners for a while, before Kyla's……anyway, I took leave. He always had a hard time calling me by anything but Detective Davies. I've been insisting he call me Ashley since I met him. Lately, he's gotten more used to it.

"That's why I'm calling, Ashley. We've found some new information. I think it'd be best if you came down to the station so that I could tell you face-to-face instead of over the phone."

I nodded, but realized that he couldn't exactly see me.

"Okay. I'll be there in half an hour."

I hung up the phone, putting it in a place where we could actually find it later, and grabbed my car keys, telling the kids that they were going to grandma's for a while…

--

"Hey, Dusty."

I said politely as I shook his hand. I always thought it was funny how serious he acted. He was two years older than me, but we always got along like we were brother and sister, which made working together that much easier.

"Hello, Ashley."

He motioned to a chair perched against the wall. I sat down, and crossed my legs, staring at him.

"What've you got?"

He pulled out a manila folder and opened it.

"Devon Maddine. 27 years old."

I scooted up in my chair.

"Is that him? Is that his name?"

"Yes. We also have an address."

I sucked in a breath.

"Okay…"

"We didn't want to do anything without you present. We've already sent some officers to the address. We're just waiting for word back now."

That meant that I was going to have to sit there and wait until those officers called this man. I prepared to wait for a few hours. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but right now it seemed like we were winning. I sat back in the chair, letting my head fall until it hit the wall. I stared up at the ceiling, tracing the patterns with my eyes as I thought about what I would do. Then quiet took over the small office. I was okay with that, silence was good at this point. After sitting in that house, crying, hearing the kids cry. The phone ringing off the hook.

I just needed some quiet.

Then it was suddenly permeated by the shrill ringing of a phone. I looked at Dustin as he picked up the receiver and placed it against his head. He nodded a few times, and said "Alright. We're on our way". He placed the receiver back into the cradle and opened his topmost desk drawer, pulling out a thick set of keys. He pushed his chair back and motioned for me to follow him. I got out of the chair and followed him into the parking lot, toward one of the cruisers, and I couldn't help myself anymore.

"What's going on?"

"There's no one at the residence, and our warrant just came through. We're allowed to search the premises with you present. You are only allowed to enter the residence with the team as special circumstance because you're still on paid leave. Understand?"

"Yeah, I got it. Thank you, Dustin."

He nodded, turned over the engine, and we set off.


	4. Part Three: Like An Angel

_**Part Three: Like An Angel**_

The cruiser pulled up to an ordinary looking ranch style house. I got out of the front seat, shutting the door just as a LACSI walked out of the front door. He walked over to Dustin and shook his hand, briefing him on what they found. I craned my neck, attempting to listen to their light conversation, but as I stretched my neck, they both walked over to me. The CSI shook my hand and introduced himself as Izak Smith. I nodded and shook his hand. He looked over at Dustin and lead the both of us into the house.

As we entered the front door, Dustin pulled me over for a moment.

"CSI Smith just told me that there is something they need you to see in the back of the house, so we're going there first."

I simply nodded as I followed him through the hallway. I couldn't help looking around the place. It was bare. The walls had no pictures or paint. The carpet was dirty and looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in months. There was close to no furniture, excluding the lone couch in the living area. As we wandered further into the building I noticed that there were cut up strips of newspaper littering the floor. In one corner there was a small stack of what looked to be yearbooks from my old high school, King High.

The CSI lead us into what looked to be the Master bedroom. I stepped carefully over the scraps of paper and dried up Sharpies scattered across the spacious floor. The only piece of furniture was a bare, twin sized mattress on the far wall. I took a quick scan of the room. I saw nothing in here. Why were we in here? CSI Smith beckoned us to keep following him into the enormous walk-in closet near the bedroom door. As I stepped inside, I noticed it reeked of Sharpie's and rubber cement.

"Here it is."

Dustin's jaw dropped. I looked in the direction that Izak had been pointing, and my face soon mimicked the Detective's. Covering the expanse that was the back wall of the closet were enormous letters. These letters were drawn over collages of pictures of people. Girls, I noticed as I stepped closer. The wall spelled, KING PIRIT. I'm not sure what that was supposed to mean, but as I stepped closer I recognized the face under the K.

It was my sister.

K for Kyla. As I looked at the other letters and the faces underneath, I realized that all of their first names corresponded with the letter written above. Kyla, Isabelle, Natalie, Gina, Paytin, Irene, Rachel, Ivey, and Tara. All of the Sharpie writing over these pictures looked old, all except for Kyla's. It was new, you could still smell the marker. And what's even worse…

I recognized all of these people.

Even the one unmarked collage. The girl underneath, I recognized from my high school, King High, cheerleading squad. Her name was Spencer. She was the only one not written over. As I looked at the other girl's pictures, I noticed that they all had one thing in common with each other. They all had at least one picture of them in a King High Cobra's cheer outfit. Every single one. Kyla, I know, had been on the team a whole five days before she decided to quit. In fact, the one of the other girls quit with her. I scanned over their pictures again, and realized where I'd seen Spencer before.

She was the girl that quit with my sister!

But why was she the only one not crossed out? All the other girls' pictures had been hastily scrawled over. Everybody's but hers…

Its because she's the only one still alive!

That's it! She's alive, and the rest of those girls……

They're all dead. Including my Kyla. Anger surged through my spine as I realized what this guy was doing. He was killing King High cheerleaders to spell out KING SPIRIT. But we were the King High Cobras. Why not Cobra Spirit? As I though that, I realized I would never really understand what this psychopath is thinking. Right now he's out there, hunting for that girl. But he won't get her, not like he got my Kyla. He won't get her…

Cause I'll find her first.

I'll save her. I'll save her because I couldn't save Kyla. As I stare back up at Kyla's collage, I wonder to myself. Why was he doing this now? We all graduated high school five years ago. The anger pulsed through me, my hands clenching into fists and my eyelids crashing together. Dustin placed one of his hands on my shoulder, and attempted to steer me out of the closet, but I stayed rooted to my spot. My feet wouldn't move me. I didn't want to be moved.

I would save this girl. I swear on the grave of my sister. I will save her.

_**Two Days Later…**_

"Hello? Is Spencer Carlin there?"

"This is she."

Talking on the phone with a complete stranger, trying to tell them that their life is in danger, is not the easiest thing in the world to do at this point. As I think of what to say to a girl I haven't seen in five years, she begins the conversation with an obvious question.

"Who is this?"

I pause for a moment before answering.

"Ashley. Ashley Davies. We went to King High together."

She doesn't answer right away. This makes me more nervous. Did she hate me in high school? Before I mull all the possibilities of this question, she answers my earlier comment.

"Ashley? Kyla's sister, right?"

"Yeah, that would be me. How are you?"

"Not to be rude, but why are you calling me?"

And she wasn't being rude. Her tone was calm, and kind. Not impatient.

"Um, well…Kyla passed away a few days ago."

I heard a loud clunk and Spencer cursing loudly. I heard shuffling and banging, and then she was back on the phone again.

"I know. I went to the funeral…"

"So it was you? She kept in touch with you all these years?"

"Yeah," she paused for a moment. "Yeah, she did. If you don't mind me asking, how did she die?"

I took a moment to collect myself. I knew Kyla was gone, but hearing it put so bluntly like that took my breath for a moment. I got my breathing in control before I spoke once more.

"That's why I called. I need to see you in person to tell you. I feel weird trying to explain it over the phone."

"Sure! Sure. I'm free until the weekend."

"Okay, well its Wednesday, so how about Friday?"

"Friday? Um, sure, why not? Where at?"

"My sister's place. Here's the address…"


	5. Part Four: I'm Getting By Alright

**_A/N: Okay, I agree. The meeting between the two girls did take forever, but I just felt like doing it. Sorry. I've been so tired lately, and I've been having a hard time adjusting to home life again. Long story Anyway, no more excuses. Hope the rest of the story is up to par. Thanks guys for the reviews, seriously. Much love!_**

* * *

**_Part Four: I'm Getting By Alright…_**

**_Friday Afternoon…_**

Spencer was sitting across the table, gaping at me. I had explained everything to her. What happened to my sister, her funeral, and the killer's headquarters. I told her about the collages, and asked her if there was anyone from our high school that hated the Cobra Cheerleaders enough to kill them in the name of school spirit. She said she couldn't think of anyone, but she'd let me know the minute she did.

As I finished my explanation about the collages and the letters, her mouth fell open, hence where we are now. Her gaping at me. Me sipping my coffee sadly. I had been feeling very down since Dustin and I left the house four days ago. Before I got in the squad car, Dustin pulled me aside again.

_"What is it, Dusty?"_

_He smiled at my nickname for him._

_"Ashley. Be careful because there have been sightings of this Devon guy. He's been doing petty theft, breaking into residential homes. I have a feeling he may be looking for that Carlin girl."_

_"I agree. I'm going to call her when I get home."_

_"Just, be careful, please? Keep her safe, we'll get some officers to her family members, so just keep an eye on her until we can get her away from here. Got that?"_

_"I promise nothing will happen to her."_

_I smiled sadly at him, and he patted my shoulder. This was going to suck…_

I turned my attention back to Spencer who was fidgeting with her hands across from me. I reached over slowly and placed one of my own over her shaking hands and she looked up at me.

"Are you okay, Spencer?"

She stood up quickly and walked over to my side of the table, never letting go of my hand. When she reached me, she used the hand she had a hold on to pull me up and out of my chair so that I was standing in front of her. She stared at me for a moment before she threw her arms around my shoulders and buried her face in the crook of my neck.

"I'm so sorry, Ashley."

After my general shock at her movements, I relaxed under her grip and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"I'm so sorry that you lost her. She was a special person with a fire that no one in this world can match. I miss her already."

Tears stung my eyes as I tried to hold them in, and then she said something that made the floodgates burst.

"She loved you more than anything in the world, you know. She would've given anything for you."

My sobs wracked my body, but Spencer only gripped tighter as my long due breakdown finally hit me. My knees buckled and Spencer slowly lowered us to the ground.

"W-what am I supposed to d-do without her?"

I wasn't sure if Spencer could decipher what I had just said. I was crying so hard and my throat and stomach hurt from the effort of keeping myself as together as I could. I was trying to not let it get to me, and look what I was doing now! I let it get me and this is what happens.

"This is what you needed. And what I said was the truth. Kyla loved you with all her heart, and you should know that. I know that."

Curled up in her lap, I sat there in silence as I listened to her heart beat. This was going to be so much harder than I thought…

--

**_Three Weeks Later…_**

There were reported sightings of Devon over the three weeks me and Spencer spent together, but the police still hadn't caught him. Spencer was at the house every chance she got, and Aiden never minded. I had told him everything, and he wanted to help her just as much as I did. Today though, he took Luke and Charlie to the zoo, hoping to get their smiles back somehow.

We were sitting in the kitchen and I was crying again. I had been okay during these weeks after her passing, but today was a bad day, and the memories were hitting me like tidal waves. Spencer, who I had gotten unbelievably close to, was holding me as we sat on the kitchen floor talking about our old memories of my sister, when one particular subject came up. High school.

"Want to know why I stayed away from you in high school, Davies?"

I smiled at the use of my old nickname. She called me that the very few times I had the privilege of talking to her. I had the biggest crush on her, but I never acted on it because she gave me no signs that she felt the same. Five years of suppressing that, and the fire is back, burning hotter than it did before. How did she do that to me?

"Why, Carlin?"

I looked up at her, finally. She smiled softly at me before she leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. When she pulled away, she smiled once more.

"That's why."

Looking up at her, I remembered why she did that to me. It was hard to forget eyes that are that blue. It took my processor a moment to realize what had just happened, but when I finally did a grin bigger than any that I had been having spread across my face. My first true smile since Kyla's funeral.

"Okay, Ash. Time to get off the floor."

She stood up while slowly lifting me with her. After a moment we were both standing in front of one another once again. Before I could lose my nerve, I leaned forward and captured her lips in a searing kiss. My arms flew around her neck and I felt hers grab at my hips.

When the kiss ended, I rested my forehead on hers.

"Is this for real? I mean, Kyla…"

Spencer cut me off before I could continue.

"Kyla is gone, its true and it hurts more than anything right now, I understand. But she was my best friend, and you need to understand that this is something she would've smiled about. You know its true. She would've been standing in the corner over there just laughing at how stupid we were for taking so long and you know it."

I smiled a real smile once more before I wrapped her in a hug. Before long, we were back sitting at the table talking about our memories of Kyla and our memories of each other. I truly hoped that this was real, and to prove her point, Spencer asked me to be her girlfriend.

"So soon, Spencer? We only just re-connected like…a few weeks ago!"

She scooted her chair closer to mine.

"If anything, this experience has taught me that life is short. Why should I wait to have something I so desperately want?"

We smiled at each other. I determined that this relationship was going to turn me into a huge sap. But I was content with that.

So we sat in the kitchen for eight hours or so before I decided that it was time to do a little cleaning. I had had every intention of cleaning the kitchen this morning before Dustin called. I told her so, and she swiveled her chair around to stare at the expanse.

"Where do we start?"

I looked around for a moment, contemplating her question.

"We could start by recycling those old newspapers…"

As we both turned to look at the papers, something glinted from beneath them.

What was that?


	6. Part Five: I'll Fight Alone For A While

_**A/N: This is the last chapter folks! Hope you like it, and thanks to those who actually took the time to review this story. I really appreciate it. **_

* * *

**_Part Five: I'll Fight Alone For A While_**

I walked up to the newspapers, crouching so that I could get a better look. Spencer looked at me questioningly, and got up to crouch beside me on the linoleum flooring. We both looked at it. It was silver, with a sharp point, and splashed with a dark reddish-brown color. I reached into the stack to pull it out…

It was a knife…

Not just a knife. No. This was THE knife. The knife that Maddine used against my defenseless sister. Spencer stared at the object, wide eyed. She realized, after telling her my story, that this was the very object that went straight through my sister. Pushed through by that freak, Maddine. I held the knife, careful not to touch anymore than I had to. I found a freezer bag in the drawer, and threw the knife inside, pinching it closed.

As I set it on the table, I heard a noise come from the side of the house. I grabbed Spencer's hand and pulled her along with me as we walked around to see what it was. Someone was coming in through Charlie's bedroom window. At this point, I was thanking god that those kids weren't home. I pulled Spencer away as I caught a glimpse of the intruder's face.

Maddine.

He was coming back to get the knife. It was the only evidence we had against him, and he wanted it back. Now that Spencer was here, he could take care of her as well, but the thing was that he didn't know that she was. That was our advantage. I told this to Spencer as I pulled her back into the kitchen, shoving her into a little nook near the pantry as I whispered my plan in her ear. Nobody knew that space was there unless you walked right up to it. I had a feeling she'd be okay. I grabbed the knife and threw it in the trash can near the sink, next to Spencer's leg, hoping I hadn't made too much noise.

We both heard a thud come from Charlie's room. He must have gotten in. Thank God Aiden and the kids weren't here.

Now was my time. This is what I had promised. I had every intention of fulfilling that promise with ever fiber of my being. I just hoped that this wouldn't end badly. Kyla's bleeding form, that painful memory, flitted through my mind just as I picked up the nearest object to use as my weapon. As I raised the meat hammer in front of me, he fell into my sight. He was smiling.

I was gonna wipe that grin right off his ugly face. Before I did anything, I whispered something to my lost sister.

"For you."

And then I charged.

He looked surprised for a moment before he jumped away from me. I managed to slam the hammer into his left shoulder. He cried out in pain and spun around to face me again.

"You'll die, bitch!"

His giant hand came down hard on my face and I spun to the floor. I could see red in my right eye and I reached up to feel the spot where he had struck me.

Blood.

Figures. The sasquatch thinks that one hit'll get me down? He's sadly mistaken. I layed down as if I were defeated and waited for him to walk a few steps away, just enough for my plan to work. I prayed to God that Spencer could hear me from where I was…

It worked!

He stepped a few steps away…

Right in front of Spencer!

His back was to her, so he couldn't tell she was there yet. This was our only chance to make this work.

"NOW!"

I sprang up from the ground, ignoring the pounding in my head and walking toward Maddine with fury in my eyes.

Spencer threw me the knife, and I caught it by the blade. I kept ignoring my throbbing head, and gasped lightly at my now bleeding palm as I tried to keep Maddine's attention away from noticing Spencer.

"Is this what you want, Devon?"

He glared at me and attempted a grab for the knife. I leapt to the right and his fist hit the counter with a resounding thud. I ran to the other end of the kitchen, leading him away from Spencer's location, but before I could I heard a loud crack from behind Maddine.

I watched as his eyes glazed over and his body slumped onto the floor. As he fell, I caught a glimpse of Spencer running out from her hiding place toward me, throwing to the ground a knife block. Before she could make it to me, I saw Maddine's hand shoot out toward her ankle.

"NO!"

Pushing Spencer out of the way caused him to grab my ankle instead. He yanked and my leg flew out from under me, my head falling rapidly at the corner of the marble counter.

I heard a loud crack as my head made contact with the marble and I crumpled onto the floor. Right before I passed out, I saw Spencer kick Maddine in the face.

Then I faced the blackness…

**_Four Days Later…_**

_"…shl…y!"_

_What? What was that?_

_"Ashley!"_

_I heard Spencer yelling for me, but where was I? What happened to me?_

"Ashley!"

My eyes opened slowly. The first thing I saw was three blondes, and I started to panic. Then I realized that my vision was swimming and I calmed down enough for my eyes to focus on the one blonde that was actually standing there.

"Ash! Thank GOD!"

She threw her arms around my neck and kissed with such force, that I thought I might explode from the fire it caused.

"Wow. What was that for?"

"Being alive, do I really need a reason?"

I shook my head and she hugged me to her shoulder. We sat like that for a moment before I realized why I was here. I pulled back and looked her I the face.

"Wait, Aiden, Charlie, and Luke! Are they okay? What happened to Maddine? How long have I been out? Are you okay?"

She laughed lightly and put her finger on my lips to shush me.

"Aiden, Charlotte and Lukas are all here. They're in the cafeteria getting lunch. They're all perfectly okay. As for Maddine, well after he knocked you out, I kicked him in the head and called the cops. They came and arrested him. They say the trial will go fast, and he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of escaping the court. They finally got him, and you've been out cold for four days."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"You missed one."

She looked at me, confused.

"What? Missed one?"

"Yeah, a question. I asked you if you were okay. Are you?"

She smiled softly as she took my hand in her own.

"I am now."

BANG

"AUNTIE ASHLEY!"

Suddenly little hands grabbed at my arm and pulled themselves onto my hospital bed. Charlie and Luke launched themselves at me the moment they got onto the bed. I laughed and hugged them back with all my strength. So they were okay.

"Ashley Marie Davies!"

I let go of the kids to look at my brother, who was now standing behind my girlfriend in the door of my hospital room. He looked angry, his hands on his hips and his foot tapping.

"Yes, Aiden?"

He stomped up to my hospital bed, and I could see the tears in his eyes as he stared down at me and his kids.

"Don't you EVER do that to me again…okay?"

His voice took on a softer tone as the tears spilled down his face. Seeing him cry made me start to cry. He leaned down and I threw my arms around him and hugged him with all the ferocity I could muster.

"I promise."

"I love you, sis."

I smiled into his shoulder.

"I love you too, bro."

He began to tell me what the police had told him about the attack. Maddine had, obviously, broken into the house and attacked Spencer and I. You know the story at that point. What they didn't tell us before was the reason Maddine had said he'd done it. The reason he killed all those girls.

He said it was for their own good. That they deserved it. And all I can say at this point is…what the fuck did he know about those girls? Their lives, their loves? Nothing. And he took that from them, but I stopped him from taking any more.

I looked around the room once Aiden let me go. I looked at my girlfriend and imagined the future we would have together. I looked at my brother, the love in his eyes for me and his kids showed me that I would always have him. And I looked at my niece and nephew. I would forever have Kyla's spirit through them.

And all I can do is thank God that I have them here, now.

Because, I know life will be fine as long as they're around.

We'll all miss Kyla more than we know, but it can be more bearable now. We can finally have peace.

I fulfilled my promise, Ky. Told you I would.

I promised.

**_--The End--_**


End file.
